Third baseman Travis Shaw slugged the first two home runs of his major league career and had four RBIs as the Boston Red Sox overcame another shaky start from Joe Kelly in an 11-7 win over the Tampa...

Running back Brad Rhoades, seen turning up field after catching a Carmen Giampetruzzi pass during practice at Derryfield Park on Thursday, is one of Trinity weapons Plymouth will have to contend with on Saturday. (THOMAS ROY/UNION LEADER)

Trinity of Manchester coach Steve Burns and Plymouth coach Chuck Lenahan will tell you that Saturday's matchup between the Pioneers and Bobcats could have a lopsided result. The superior team? That depends on which coach is doing the talking.

Lenahan on the Pioneers: "They're a real good football team. I don't even think they've punted this year. Hopefully it's a good game. Hopefully they don't blow us out like they have everybody else."

Burns on the Bobcats: "They're solid on both sides of the ball. We have our work cut out for us. We're going to be lucky to play with them."

Truth be told, Trinity and Plymouth may be the two best teams in Division II. Each team will enter Saturday's contest at Gill Stadium (4:45 p.m. kickoff) with a 3-0 record and, in all likelihood, the same game plan: Run the ball and then hope to hit it big with a play-action pass.

"They can throw out of the double wing," Lenahan said. "They run it and run it and play action … wide open. I'm worried about getting the ball and keeping it. After Saturday, we won't have to wonder about how good we are."

Trinity and Plymouth met in the last two Division IV championship games. Trinity won 30-14 in 2011, and Plymouth prevailed 7-0 last season.

Plymouth has scored 132 points in its three games. Trinity has scored 130. The Pioneers are seventh in this week's Union Leader/WGIR/WMUR Power Poll. The Bobcats are ninth.

"Stopping the run is a concern," Burns said. "If you don't stop the run, they're not going to throw. They're a well-coached team with a ton of good athletes. Their skill kids are fantastic.

"Points are at a premium when we get together for the most part."

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THERE ARE two other games on this weekend's menu that feature teams in the Power Poll. No. 1 Exeter (3-0) will play at No. 8 Bishop Guertin of Nashua (2-1), and No. 10 (tie) Londonderry (2-1) will play at No. 5 Pinkerton Academy of Derry (2-1). Both games will be held Saturday night.

Exeter and Bishop Guertin were the class of Division II before the Blue Hawks moved to Division I following the 2009 season. The Blue Hawks and Cardinals faced each other in four straight Division II championship games beginning in 2005.

Rivals Londonderry and Pinkerton will meet as part of Mack Plaque weekend, the fall athletic competition between the two schools. Pinkerton, which has won two straight since opening with a loss to Bedford, has won the last 11 regular-season meetings with Londonderry. The Lancers won their first two games but are coming off a 19-0 loss to No. 3 Bedford.

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SOME stingy defense has helped carry St. Thomas Aquinas of Dover to a 3-0 start in Division II East. The Saints have surrendered 26 points in their three games, victories over Kearsarge of North Sutton (36-14), Kennett of Conway (39-12) and John Stark of Weare (45-0).

St. Thomas has come up with seven turnovers (four interceptions) and has scored two defensive touchdowns. Junior linebacker Mike Murray leads the team in tackles with 18.

"I knew the defense would be the better side of the ball," St. Thomas coach Eric Cumba said. "We figured the defense would have to keep us in games. They're doing a good job of creating turnovers. They've done more than keep us in games."

"We're just working on getting better every week," Cumba said. "As a team, we just have to grow more."

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PELHAM (3-0) and Campbell of Litchfield (2-0) — the only unbeaten teams in Division III — are both in Division III South, which appears to be the toughest conference in that division. Division III South also includes Bow (2-1) and Somersworth (1-2).

Roger Brown covers high school football for the New Hampshire Union Leader and Sunday News. He can be reached at rbrown@unionleader.com. Follow him on Twitter: @603sportsmedia.